Hybrid energy systems typically include a an engine having its prime mover, e.g., a crankshaft, mechanically decoupled from one or more loads, e.g., a vehicle traction device load. Hybrid energy systems usually also include an energy storage device configured to store energy received from either the engine during an engine overpowering mode or from a traction device during a vehicle dynamic braking mode. The engine and storage device are often electrically coupled to loads, e.g., via a motor-generator, allowing the engine to also operate as an energy source rather than a conventional drive mechanism and allowing the storage device to recover the energy regenerated from the dynamic braking device. The amount and frequency of regenerated energy is usually independent of the capacity limit for energy stored within the storage device and often exceeds the capacity limit. Over charging the storage device may cause damage thereto and the regenerated energy may be undesirably wasted as heat to avoid or reduce the damage.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0005737 (“the '737 application”) filed by Kumar discloses a hybrid energy storage method. The '737 application includes an energy management processor to determine present and upcoming travel path situation information to determine power storage requirements as a function of the capacity of energy that a primary storage device can store and/or receive. Based on these determinations, the energy management processor further determines which of a plurality of energy sources such as the regenerated energy, the prime mover, or a secondary storage device should be used to charge the energy storage device. The '737 application also includes routing energy that the primary storage device is unable to receive and/or store to an optional energy source such as a secondary storage device. The '737 application further includes routing energy that the secondary storage device is unable to receive and/or store to braking grids for dissipation as heat energy.
Although, the '737 application may determine power storage requirements as a function of upcoming travel path information and selectively determine which of a plurality of energy sources should charge the primary energy storage device, it may undesirably waste regenerated energy through heat dissipation.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above.